ewing on the long running . we are getting late word tonight, the actor best known for playing the conniving and mischievous j.r . ewing on the long running series dallas has died. he died late this afternoon from complications of cancer. he was 81. cbs reporter alexis looks back at his career. >> stay out of my affairs pamela. >> you make me sick. >> everybody hates me. they love this character. >> love him or hate him. audiences watched seasons of him playing the infamous j.r . in dallas, j.r . cheated his family, friends and his wife while taking plenty of knocks of his own. when the who shot j.r . episode airs 83 million americans tuned in to watch. in real life heavy drinking led to a liver transplant that prolonged his life and perhaps gave him a sense of mortal hi his tv character j.r . never shared. like j.r . he was born in texas. the son of pack tres mary actress martin. >> we first new him at the astronaut from i dream of jeannie. he received no residuals for i dream of jeannie which is still in syndi